With Emmys season in full swing, four great shows came in with over 20 nominations each: Succession leads with 27, and The Last of Us, The White Lotus, and Ted Lasso are close behind. However, since time is short for start-to-finish binges before the tentative air date of September 18th, here are the most high-quality shows (which we will crown The Three B’s) you must watch before the awards season is over.
Barry
Barry‘s success comes attributed to multiple sources, but let’s be honest: this is the proud masterpiece of Saturday Night Live alumnus Bill Hader, who created, wrote, directed, and starred in this superb series. Blending dark comedy with an expertly devised character arc for hitman Barry Berkman (Hader), Barry somehow finds humor in a dark world of PTSD, crime, and Los Angeles culture.
In the first episode of Barry, the titular character finds himself on the brink of an existential meltdown when he suddenly abandons his shady handler’s assignment to join an acting class and start something of a new life. Where it goes from there, you will have to strap in and see for yourself. The brilliant series concluded this year with another dynamite season, so you can officially binge it fully and laugh to your dark heart’s content.
Barry is streaming now on Max.
The Bear
Though we are only two seasons into The Bear, critics have already heralded past Bo Burnham collaborator Christopher Storer’s first series as one of the best of our time. Like Barry, this is a comedy at heart but features some DNA-altering drama that is more intense than all the other shows on this list combined. A particular episode in Season 2 (over 60 minutes and featuring some of the best guest stars of any single television episode ever) will go down in history as a high point of emotional trauma for viewers.
Following the ups and downs (mostly the latter) of a Chicago restaurant owned by the late brother of Carmy (Jeremy Allen White of Shameless fame), The Bear has made restaurant culture a social media phenomenon and generated the most viral attention of shows on this list. After setting a precedent for yearly releases, we expect to see a third season of The Bear around June 2024.
The Bear is streaming now on Hulu.
Better Call Saul
Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad spin-off had to deliver high-quality drama to uphold its parent show’s reputation for extreme greatness. Even led by the comedic relief character from the original AMC masterwork, Better Call Saul brought the goods in Season 1 and continued to get better through the end. The final episodes had critics and audiences holding on for dear life; some even claimed it rivaled its Breaking Bad origins.
Better Call Saul stars Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill, and the actor primarily known for comedy in the past generated striking drama from his glorious performance. A legal drama filled to the brim with soaring highs and apocalyptic lows, this series is one of the best modern dramas and cannot be missed.
Better Call Saul is streaming now on Netflix.